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Asha
Asha was one of the twelve original human colonies, one of the Inner Colonies of the Galactic Commonwealth, and the capital world of the Aquarius Sector of the Orion Quadrant. Geography and Climate The supercontinent New Gondwana dominated the planet’s southern hemisphere, separated from three northern subcontinents by an equatorial sea. New Gondwana was made up of vast flatlands cut through with hundreds of river valleys, interrupted by ancient plateaus on the interior and three mountain ranges that ran latitudinally across different parts of its area. The climate of Asha was strongly influenced by the circulation of the Equatorial Sea and its warm, yellow sun. Asha’s climate was notably warmer and drier than Earth’s. History and Culture Early Colonial History The Asha system was mapped by the Lunar Telescopic Array in the late 22nd century and colonized in the early 23rd century. Asha was colonized more slowly than the other worlds, and had difficulty attracting immigrants. Those that settled there found that its fertile river valleys were excellent for agriculture. Its expansive plains and savannahs were inhabited by many species of large, docile, herbivorous, quasi-reptilian quadropeds, that were ripe for domestication and development as a food source. The meat of these animals became a rized delicacy. The colony became a major food producer for the other colonies; especially New Dawn, Han, and Vesta. Other colonies’ development models had underestimated how much agriculture their worlds would need, and native earth crops had difficulty adapting to the climate and soil of other worlds. The planet became a center not only for the export of food, but also textiles; cotton and linen crops also adapting well to its climate. Rich supplies of Tritium, Palladium, and Thorium were discovered in the other planets of the Asha system, making Asha a major player in the galactic energy trade. Asha eventually became a prosperous world. Only after the world achieved this prosperity in the 27th Century did it become a magnet for colonists. Asha developed a reputation for independence, owing probably to early colonists belief in the “New Frontier” philosophy; that the new colonies in space were a chance for humanity to start over without the corruption and politics of Old Earth. Native Ashans were also known for their intelligence, humility, and diligence. The also brewed really excellent beer, which was shipped throughout the Commonwealth. 29th through 34th Solar Century Asha, during the ‘First Crusade,’ (then called ‘The Insurrection’ on Earth and the ‘War of Independence’ on the colonies), was one of the first four worlds to build defensive fleets and fight for Independence from Earth-based rule. (The others were Astra, Avalon, and Atlas.) This conflict ended with the dissolution of the Earth-Based Galactic Federation and its replacement with the decentralized ‘Galactic Commonwealth,’ which divided power among the Twelve Inner Colonies and granted extensive sovereignty to the other worlds of the quadrant. The Commonwealth Articles of Incorporation also resulted in Asha being named the Capital World of the Aquarius Sector. Asha was noted for dealing with its colonies with a light hand. During the First Crusade… a series of Rebellions of the Outer Colonies against the Inner, the Aquarius Sector was notably peaceful, although not completely absent of conflict. When the colony world of Byzantium fell under the rule of an oppressive dictator and sought to leave the Commonwealth, Asha sent elements of the Aquarian Fleet to restore order. At the time, Asha was not thought to have an effective, disciplined fighting force, but the insurrection was put down and order restored with an efficiency that won the respect of other members of the Commonwealth. Asha, allied with Astra, Atlas, and Avalon was critical in the defeat of the Terran Imperium in the Second Crusade. It also contributed ships, troops, and weapons to defeat the Red Committee in the Second Crusade. Mercenaries from Asha were also deployed against the machine rebellions of the 33rd and 34th Solar Centuries. In the 33rd Solar Century, Aquaria City was built on a plain to coordinate political, military, trade, and diplomatic activity throughout the Sector. It became to location of a lively Music Festival that operated continuously for the next three centuries. 35th through 41st Solar Century In the Fourth Crusade, Asha was one of the leading worlds in resisting and defeating the Scorpion Empire. The Aquarian Fleet was instrumental in repulsing Scorpion Attacks on colonies in the Aquarius Sector, including Harvest, Byzantium, and Ārdrā. The Aquarian Fleet carried out an early raid on Scorpio Prime (Terra Nova), which ended in defeat and retreat, but established that the Empire was not impervious, and inspired a demoralized Allied Force to continue the fight until the Empire was ultimately defeated. Asha was left alone during the War of the Strange in the 33rd Solar Century. In the Sixth Crusade of the 36th Century, the destruction of sacred places on Earth by the Unholy provoked a strong response among the faithful and religious of Asha’s population; who were often frustrated by the covert and secretive nature of the Crusade. (Ashans preferred to meet their opponents head-on and face-to-face). The Ashan-run prison planet of Ironweed became notorious for its harsh treatment of captured Unholy Prisoners. During the Seventh Crusade of the 37th Solar Century, the Fleet of Aquarius became renowned for its courage and relentlessness in battle. The Fleet was led by the flagship Asha, ''a dreadnought that wore the scars of its many battles like medals of honor. In the Eighth Crusade, the planet Asha was targeted by the planet-destroying ships of the Adversary. The ships arrived in orbit to destroy the planet but were countered by an aggressive ground and space-based defense that destroyed them before they could attack. Debris rained down on the planet for many years following that defeat. In the Ninth Crusade, a Dark Underlord calling himself ‘Drake Newman (the Anti-Human)’ attempted to establish Asha as his stronghold. Newman encountered resistance sufficient that he gave up after a prolonged battle, retreating to the outer colony of Everest. The Aquarian Fleet was instrumental in the defeat of the Dark Overlords Cain and Ananias. Overlord Cain appeared on Asha and turned the skies black for three days before being fought off and driven back to Ārdrā, which he had taken over and claimed as his fortress world. The Aquarian Fleet, joined by elements of the Christian Fleet, the Fleet of Sagitta, and the Delphinian Fleet, massed for a final assault on that world and against the last remnants of Cain and Ananias’s mighty space battle fleet. During the battle, Ārdrā’s moon of Rahu was destroyed and crashed into the planet, shattering the crust and destroying all life. The Aquarian Fleet was then tasked to pursue the last Dark Overlord, Enoch, but by the time it was able to rendezvous with the rest of the fleet opposing him, he had already fled the galaxy, pursued by Admiral Lexington Keeler in his flagship, the Dreadnought Ark Royal. It is said the celebrations on the planet when the Overlords were finally defeated lasted three years. 42nd through 53rd Solar Century In the period following the Crusades, Asha’s relative prosperity declined somewhat. It remained a key center of administration for the Aquarius Sector, but it had become heavily populated over the preceding centuries and the industries that had made it wealthy gradually relocated to other worlds. Like many of the other colonies, it began to turn its focus inward, into remediating the damage done to its ecosystem through the wars and developing the minds and spirits of its population. By the 47th Solar Century, low birth rates and emigration had reduced the population. Asha had a new reputation as a center for spiritual and intellectual development. Like most of the older colonies, it had become highly self-sufficient in the Millennium of Peace. A Starlock was built near Asha in the 45th Century and was christened Chamakan. Asha’s entire population perished in the Tarmigan Assault during the 53rd Solar Century. Cities *New Varanasi *New Hyderabad *New Dvaraka *Aquaria City *Eastdawn Source: ''Professor Wild Bill Keeler’s Pop-Up, Scratch-N-Sniff Guide to the ''Old'' ''Commonwealth'' Category:Worlds